Where Music Comes to Play

Archive for C2

One thing’s for sure: never bet on what name/number Cowon is coming up for consecutive players in a series, you will most definitely be guessing wrong.

The D2/D2+ was a very popular player for its time, some four years ago, and many people craved for a more modern successor ever since it was released. Recently, when the D3 was announced, there were quite some outcries to be heard since it was a large Android phone-without-a-phone, with nary a resemblance to the D2 at all.

Enter the newly released C2. As I said, do not try to make sense of Cowon’s naming schemes – the C2 is ‘the real D3’, so to speak. It actually is still more of a D2 than anything else – basically the same hardware, the same form factor, the same screen, more or less the same functionality as its four year old ancestor. The most obvious differences are in the looks of the user interface, the move from a full-sized SD slot to MicroSD, the use of a power/hold button instead of a slider, and the addition of a speaker on the back.

Does that mean Cowon’s decision to move this revamped D2 one letter down the alphabet is a step back? Not necessarily, there are certainly some features to be found in the C2’s firmware that are fit for a 2011 player. Read on for the full review. Continue reading…

Everyone who anticipated the D3 to be a successor to the venerable D2/D2+ was slightly disappointed (same as the X7 has barely anything in common with the older X5). However, Cowon’s product naming scheme barely ever made sense, and the C2 is no exception. Lo and behold, this time around we actually get a successor to the D2.

The C2 comes in four colors, has basically the same screen as the D2 (320×240 2.6″ LCD), basically the same audio and video codec support (plays most audio, still doesn’t support MP4/h264), the same amount of tactile buttons on top (power/hold is now a button, not a slider), and the D2′s full sized SD slot has been replaced by a MicroSD slot. The C2′s glossy metal back sure looks fetching in product photos, but I doubt it will stay that pristine under real world conditions.

It has no AMOLED screen, no high resolution, probably no capacitive touch screen, no Wifi, no Bluetooth, doesn’t run on Android, or anything else that would go with current trends or would distinguish it much from the years old D2/D2+’s hardware. A speaker on the back is the only new feature, and probably an upgraded version of BBE sound enhancements. Fans of the D2 form factor might still find it a worthy upgrade, but I don’t see overly much incentive in doing so.

The player’s user interface appears to be one of the most cheese-tacky-tastic ones Cowon released so far, besides the V5‘s UI. It provides ‘witty’ or ‘cute’ messages depending on the time of the day. I can see how slogans like “siesta now – after happy lunch” or “thinking about you – all the time” will never get old when one has to look at them constantly on the main screen… well, there’s always custom user interfaces that can fix those Korean cultural differences.

abi Editor's Choice

SanDisk Sansa Clip+

The Clip+ has a fantastic little form factor; somewhat cheap in build quality but very rugged. The interface is simple and relatively straightforward. The features on the Clip are more or less average, however it supports the alternative Rockbox firmware which provides tons of additional options (gapless playback, Replaygain, playlists, Last.fm scrobbling, etc). Read the full review or go ahead and buy it.

Cowon J3

The J3 is a fantastic PMP with a very nice AMOLED screen and tons of features. It sports Cowon's trademark BBE sound enhancements, and offers a customizable user interface with strong support by our user community. You can usually find it at Amazon for the best price - and don't forget to check out our review.

Microsoft Zune HD

Sure, many of us are not big fans of the walled garden, but there are a lot of great things going on with the Zune: sturdy hardware, ultra easy to use user interface, and a media player that is worthy of Editor’s Choice. You can check out our Zune HD review or stop by our Zune forums for the latest info and gossip.

Phonak Audéo PFE

Phonak Audéo PFE offer outstanding clarity and precision; natural, dynamic mids and treble, and decent bass for a single armature in-ear phone. They handle dense, complex music very well. The PFE work well with most acoustic and some electronic music genres, but bassheads might have to look at other alternatives. They're great for sports as well, since they fit very securely. Check out our review.

Hippo VB

The Hippo VB (Variable Bass) offers a serious subwoofer for on the go, right in your head. They don’t just deliver generous quantities of punchy, textured bass, but good audio quality over the whole frequency range with decent clarity and exceptional soundstage. Exchangeable bass ports let you customize their sound to your liking. Read our in-depth Hippo VB review.

Soundmagic E10 / E30

The Soundmagic E10 and E30 are basically right in the middle between the Phonak PFE and Hippo VB - not too analytical sounding, not too bass heavy. The E10 provide a bit more bass, the E30 a bit more clarity. Both come with a very fair price tag considering the sound quality they deliver - a great choice for the audio aficionado on a budget. Read our E10 and E30 reviews for more info.